IT IS DONE! ALL 14 PAGES!
coughcoughehem...
So important announcement for those who missed it the first time:
SEPHIRTOTH'S BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP! My baby is making 3yrs old (tho he himself is 18, cuz you know, legal...) His birthday is the tenth and I made pretty art for him. Tho I wont be posting it till his actual bday... till you can just look for it on my twitter or join the discord server I made for the fic. You can find my art for the story there and discuss all the story with others there. I myself will be pretty active in it so you can ask me anything there.
HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS UPDATE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ADVANCE SEPHIROTH!
(PS: dont forget to review and tell me what you like about Sephiroth.)
Discord(remove the spaces): discord .gg /ArZ a7 ayh
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Glass walls shot up in random patterns as a black blur zoomed around or into them at different intervals.G entle green eyes masked the impassive slate grey gaze of the player as she deftly drew new dead ends on her data pad. Carisimmi's kind smile looked almost cruel under the shadow of her hime cut bangs. She floated high above the maze, a goddess creating her world.
Touch Me entered the previously empty space, miles of open area morphing into something unsettling before his very eyes. With everything that had happened within the guild from Victim to Tabula, it was harder than ever to get Carissimi to interact with anyone. They were letting things slide and doing what they could to appease, worried about her relapsing like she did last time. Blue Planet had given her an empty room he was going to use to create a botanical garden. She'd wasted no time turning it into a garden of the deadly variety and placed it under Sephiroth's keep.
The way she cooed and coddled over the young incubus as he explored his new space both broke and soothed their hearts.
Momonga was always lenient with his best friend but after word got around of the altercation between Carissimi and Tabula, he finally put his foot down. Tabula was suspended from the Guild for a week with a month's probation. The brain eater was also forced to relinquish the secret cavern he'd excavated for his NPCs to Carisimmi. For too long Momonga had let his friend do as he pleased and the fact that he was now enforcing an order put a strain on their relationship.
Tabula left Yggdrasil soon after.
Carissimi had tried to comfort the lich but she knew it was pointless. She blamed herself for the soured friendship and locked herself away in her room, both IRL and in game. Today was the first Touch Me would speak to his sister directly since her self imposed exile, Dez having DMed him that his sister had left her room. He was grateful to the shadow demoness for being there for his sister even though it stung how close they were.
There's so much he wants to say but the words seem to fail him as he stares at the avatar's back. He wants to ask her to come back to the manor where she's safe and can get help. Wants to tell her that she can't keep relying on the game to make her happy. He wants to tell her that everything will be alright. But he can't. He can't break another promise to her.
"Carissimi..." He starts but stops, shaking his head as he rethinks everything he's ever said to her. "Sara… I love you." His avatar hugs her and in the real world he can feel the warmth of his tears rolling down his cheeks. "I love you and you will always be my precious little sister."
Carissimi says nothing as she watches Dez hit another wall and scream as Karma hunts her down.
Terror was a look he'd learn to see in his very existence.
His terrified expression was reflected back at him infinite times over as he wandered through the maze of mirrors. He didn't know what was worse: being able to see the exit but never able to reach it or the sight of his own pain looking at him from every direction. Time meant nothing to a man who had no future to look towards. The fear in his eyes went well with his embarrassment and fury.
A large white ribbon tied in an intricate bow rested mockingly against his throat as an elegant silver lock glinted daintily in the low lights. Teeth marks, scarred over and pink peeked out from beneath the river with every breath. He was marked and collared, days narrowed down to being a mere "pet". That damned demon child! Her eyes haunted his every nightmare.
Lashing out, he aimed a punch at his reflection.
A chill passed down his spine as he met those cursed eyes looking back at him over his shoulder.
Heart hammering in his chest, he threw himself to the ground to look behind him. The reflection of his tormenter looked down at him from all directions, her wide eyed stare almost naive as she tilted her head to the side. The reflection started walking towards him, its smile growing as he crawled backwards and searched in vain for the real her. The reflections seemed to be closing in on him when they suddenly stopped and looked off to the side. Their smile dropped just a bit and they held their hands out. His chest burned as he looked on with apprehension as a basket joined the numerous reflections.
The reflections mouthed something and gave an adorable ( fake ) smile. Seconds passed before the basket was dropped, glass jars and syringes clattering to the floor. A cold glare burned into something purple as pale hands reached towards the overturned basket. A crown of purple flowers were lifted into the air for inspection.
Flowers had never been on the list of things to make him nervous till now.
The air temperature dropped so quickly that his muscles locked in place despite how badly he wanted to shiver. The flowers fell from her hands and shattered, their tiny pieces glinting like stained class as they skated out of view. His breath stilled in his chest as the damned swirls turned back on him, their unsettling spirals frozen as the reflections moved. Alah Alaf has long abandoned him. His god cannot protect him from the demon child approaching him.
He is at the mercy of the thing he swore to destroy.
"I think I need my therapy pet to help me deal with my emotions."
And this mercy was only the first stage of damnation.
"Madness is but a slow descent into your truest self…"
These words were a soft croon from that little voice she always pushed away. Telling her to give in and just enjoy a dance as a devil.
"Lilith left the Garden and found her true Eden…"
It would be so easy to just let go. She can remember how good it felt when she burned those damned summoners and their weak angels! The scent of their burning feathers and flesh the perfect incen-
No!
Her stomach roiled at the phantom smells of that day. Their screams had lingered in the back of her mind like the nightmares of her past. The agony they must have suf fered made her fangs throb and pleasurable shudders pass along her spine. The souring scent of their lust to fear as their screams were cut to short would be her first symphony. There would be many more as she perfected her act and made this world her bloody stag-
The stage.
The stage scares her. She lost too much to it. The spotlight she held for so long burned her as it lit a path for those who wished to hurt us! We hurt them back! Take all and give nothing! Let the world know pain! Let them know pleasure! Let them know sin! Let them know YOU!
White dances and weaves through the onyx flames as she loses herself in the words and memories. Control, so tenuous, is stretched to its breaking point as it all comes to the edge.
Demiurge grits his teeth as his hands grow sweaty in their gloves. The seventh floor was a visage of Hell on Earth but it would never be close to the real thing. But here, standing in the inferno of Hellfire erupting from the Supreme Being clinging to him, he felt at home in a way his domain could never achieve. But the feeling of home was growing uncomfortable as arcs of white tried to absorb the black. Holy fire fights to drown out the flames of Hell as magic, so raw and untapped, pours off in waves from the Supreme Being. But his discomfort is nothing to him as he watches burns appear all over her lovely skin as she shutters back and forth between forms. Grabbing her shoulders, he dug his fingers deep into her skin..
"Lady Carissimi!"
The world narrowed down to two things.
Demiurge and herself. The rumble of Demiurge's chest against face brought her back to the present. Fire came off her skin in waves as she struggled to find her center, the flames jumping with each breath. Panic. She was panicking. She needed to calm her..
self.
Four things she can feel: Heat, the flames were somehow soft against her skin. Something pressed against her ribs. Boning? The cold of her tail against her butt, the bone unaffected by the heat of her flames. Hands gripping her upper arms.
Three things she can hear: Demiurge's voice. The roar of the flames. A heartbeat. Demiurge's heartbeat.
Two things she can see: The dark orange of Demiurge's suit. The white pinstripes were a simple guide up his chest and neck. Glasses. The silver frames of his glasses carefully held the polished lenses in place. So close, Carisimmi could see every facet of his eyes as she looked up from below.
One thing she can smell: The Juliet rose she gave Demiurge.
And just like that, the flames were suddenly gone. Demiurge, a literal demon and the man that represented so much that had hurt her, had grounded her. Neon eyes slowly blinked as Carrisimi calmed herself, the slow strokes of Demiurge's hand through her hair an easy thing to focus on.
For Demiurge, his focus was on the heat.
The flames slowly die down, that oh so comforting heat leaving him as the now demoness calmed down. Demiurge could feel the small pinpricks of blood she drew as her claws released their grip on him. She shuddered at the sudden cold as that oh so lovely heat died away. She looked so small, arms curled around her to hide herself as she looked shamefully at the ground. Her tail curled nervously around her legs, the massive vertebrae clicking against each other. Her demonic form was beauty incarnate but she looked so put off by her own identity.
"I'm sorry Demiurge…" She whispered. "I thought I could do this but.. Please, just take me back to the Tomb."
Under normal circumstances he would have jumped to full fill and command given, but in this moment he couldn't. "Forgive me Lady Carissimi but I cannot." He watched her fingers tighten around her upper arms as she tensed. "I don't want-" She started.
"I will not obey and order that puts you at harm!." His words were firm, the need to care for her overriding all sense of deference. Slowly, almost as if he were afraid to startle her, raised his hands and laid them on her cheeks. She gave no fight as he lifted her face towards his. "I cannot in good conscience allow you to return to the way you were."
Carrisimi looked searchinling into his eyes, glasses reflecting her own lost and scared face back at her. Seeing herself so weak broke something in her and she just let go. Releasing sigh so full of burden and wariness, her shoulders sagged as she dropped her arms and tail. "I'm so tired, Demiurge." Her voice was low and defeated. Hesitantly, she put a hand on Demiurge's where it still rested on her cheek and laced her fingers between his. "I just want to feel better. Even if I don't feel like me ." She sighed as she weakly nuzzled into his glove.
Demiurge looked at her as walls almost visibly dropped around her.
"Of course Lady Carissimi."
Stepping back to put some space between them, Demiurge bowed and held out a hand to her. There was a moment of hesitation but she took it, allowing the devil to lead her away from the crumbling shack. They walked but a short distance away towards a large barn, the glossy stain of the wood looming innocently at them. "Lady Carissimi," Demiurge started as they got closer, a pair of imps bowing as they opened the barn doors. "I think the best place to start is with a simple stress reliever." The two walked in and were greeted with the sight of a human chained to the ground. The human was male, with weak arms and a long frame that was hunched naked over a bowl of water. A collar kept his head just above the bowl while his arms were held high above him. If he tried to stretch for water, he'd be choked.
Carrisimi froze when his head lifted up and looked at her with such tired yet hate filled eyes.
"Come to show your bitch her new stud…" He muttered with a smug look, his expression to vindictive for a man with no leverage. Demiurge's tail smacked him hard across the face, several teeth sent with a loud crack. Demiurge ignored the man's gasps as he tried to collect himself.
"Apologies m'lady for his disrespect." Demiurge said with another bow. "I was going to punish this sheep after you had finished inspections but I feel he can be of more lucrative use to you."
Carisimmi's heart thundered in her ears as her gaze darted from Demiurge to the human and back. She stumbled back as her demonic features tried to retreat. She knew what Demiurge wanted her to do but never had she tried to purposely hurt another living being. White strands started appearing in her hair as she slowly started to panic again. "I-I…I cant Demiurge." She stuttered as she stumbled out. Where she retreated, he followed, large hands coming to grasp her own and stopping the meltdown in its tracks.
"M'lady, it will be alright."
His grip was firm yet gentle as he guided her hand towards the human. She marveled at how small she is compared to his, the slim structure of her almost frail in appearance. The clattering of chains could be heards as the man was raised up on his knees with his back straight. Demiurge moved behind her, back pressed to his chest as he gently dragged one of her claws down the human's cheek, blood welling up from the thin cut as he yelled and jerked away.
"This human deserves to be punished." Demiurge murmured in Carisimmi's ear as he gently massaged her stiff fingers. Carisimmi looked almost fearful at her own hand. "He has killed several other sheep in attempts to escape. Two being his own mate and their child." If he knew what words to say or if he was merely that good at his job, she would never know. But the world seemed to stop and come into hyper focus at his words. Carisimmi's doubts and fears were gone as she stared down at the murderer.
Because that's what he was. A murderer.
"How could you?" She asked in a voice void and detached of all feelings. A loop of memories started to play like a broken memory in the back of her mind. It didn't matter that her own people were killers and revelled in it. This man had killed a child, his child. "How could you kill your own child and wife?"
Any fear the man had was replaced with fury. "How could I?" He sneered at her and took in her appearance. Taking in the beautiful red material of her dress and the long leg that peeked out from its daring slit, he scoffed. "You dare look down on me while you bask in luxury. I did what was best for my family. My wife was forced to bed you disgusting inhumans ." He hissed that last words like it was a curse. "I refused to let my child grow to become a monster's whore. Not like you have."
Any other words of contempt he could have possibly had were trapped in his throat, long nails digging their way into his Adam's apple. Carrisimi's empty glare filled with something she had only felt the stirrings of when she attacked Nigun and his men. Rage. Disgust. Vengeance. Something dark curled around her soul as a slow smile spread across her lips. She could feel the way his blood trailed slowly down his throat as she avoided the aorta and focused on the pressure building in that oh so precious bundle of tissue. "I hate men who just seem to think that the best way to help their so-called loved ones is to kill them." She purred as she tightened her hold, the man choking as he struggled in her grip. His lips were turning blue and his eyes bulged as he tried to fight her deceptively strong grip. "They think themselves so high and mighty when all it takes is one little POP for it to all come apart." He could die from the lack of air but Carisimmi felt that to be too kind. Too easy. Too painless. No, she much better enjoyed the snap of his larynx under the pressure. The way he choked and wheezed as the broken bone scraped against the inside of his throat as blood slowly filled his airways. The way the light left his eyes, leaving empty mirrors to reflect her own satisfied smile.
Her smile grew as she turned to Demiurge and dropped the warm body. A shiver traveled down both their spines as she licked the blood from the side of her thumb and looked at the other humans who had watched in silence. "Are the rest of them here for punishment as well?' She asked with critical eyes scanning their faces. They were all adults and seemed able bodied enough.
"Yes m'lady." Demiurge said with a smile, watching the slow wave of her tail. The skeletal lumb swayed behind her like a cat ready to pounce. "They each have tried to move against their purpose or killed lambs in their own fir of retaliation."
Carisimmi looked them over once more before addressing them. "I will release you." She stated clearly and waved over an imp. Murmurs filled the barn as she gestured towards the cages. The imps stared at her in confusion but one by one each cell was unlocked. "You may leave this place on one condition..." The humans watched her with hesitance as they slowly crawled out.
A smile so filled with joyful malice split its way across her face that the humans were frozen in place. " Don't let me catch you ."
The ensuing panic as the humans scrambled over one another could only be described as a beautiful opening act. They trampled over one another but were careful to avoid touching her. Demiurge watched her dress flutter as the humans moved around her, the exit of the barn to her back. The hoard moved as one as they escaped the confines of the barn before splitting off into different directions.
He only caught a glimpse of her eyes, pupils pinpricks of pink that shined with bloodlust, before she off like a hellhound on the hunt.
The first human fell to her claws easily, her body crashing into his like a train. A symphony of cracks and crunches sound off at the sheer force of her impact. The man screamed at the pain of his broken bones. His pleads for mercy never uttered as he was savagely ripped apart.
One by one the sheep were culled as flesh and limbs were rend from bodies and painted the world red. Carissimi found herself lost in a wave of euphoria as she savagely ripped out a woman's throat with her teeth, the heady taste of her blood stoking the flames of madness. Her senses were in overdrive, each kill more satisfying than the last.
There was an all encompassing heat
Heat and wetness dribbled pleasurably across her skin as she moved about in a euphoric haze. Carissimi moved almost blindly as she cut down a line of humans, their screams the little noises of pleasure to soothe the pain she'd long ignored.
Demiurge watched as blood rained from the sky in the wake of the demoness' carnage. Gone was the gentle and loving angel, her nature of destruction having seeped into every corner of her being. Never before had he seen such beauty, her change to her second form an alluring call back to her heritage. The abandonment of angelic values as they fell to the flames of damnation.
It was as if the fall Lucifer had happened a second time.
Her descent into damnation was far more graceful though. Where the Fallen Angel had crashed, she merely hit the ground running.
There was no hesitance in her strikes as she moved through her victims. Demiurge looks on in delight as she moves on from the last of her released prey to the sheep ambling about the farm. She's almost ethereal like this, bathed in blood and fully given over to her demonic instincts. There is no clear aim in her destruction, just the ever consuming bloodlust she feeds with every kill. Her demonic form is complete and her depravity is absolute. And she loves it. So easy. So much better.
How did she ever fight against this high.
Demiurge smiles as a human runs back towards him as though to take refuge in the barn when he's bisected. Blood splatters across his suit as the two halves hit the ground with a wet thump. Carrisimi stands before him covered from head to toe in red, her eyes and white grin the only break in the color. The thick coppery scent completely overwhelms her own and calls for him to replace it with his. His every instinct demands that he submit and prostrate himself before her majesty. He knows he's unworthy of her love but that only fuels his desire for her.
Carisimmi eyes catch Demiurge's form as she slowly steps over her kill. Her head is held high and she makes sure her tail stays off the ground. The wet squelch of her heels on the bloody soil does nothing to stop the way she preens over her slaughter. She knows she's the stronger demon. She can smell his growing lust even covered as she was in blood and it filled her with pride. On an instinctual level she knows that she has proven she's still more than worth the effort of courting. Now he only had to prove his own continued worth before she allowed Second Blood.
The two demons stare into each other's eyes for what seems to be an eternity when Carissimi stands before Demiurge.
"Demiurge." Carisimmi purred, breaking the spell and yanking Demiurge down by his tie. He is forced to kneel when she drags him by that strip of fabric with his chin jerked back up to look at her. She peers down at him with a sultry smirk that has him growing impossibly hard.
"Demiurge." She purrs again and he's almost undone by the touch of Command in her voice. "I hate the feeling of wet socks. Be a dear and help me with mine?"
Her smile is almost cruel when she says it, knowing eyes catching the slight twitch of his ears at the request. "Of course, Lady Carissimi." Demiurge says as his tail starts to wag. Carisimmi released his chin and allowed him to finally break eye contact as she offered him a leg. His hands were gentle as he removed the red pumps she wore and tossed them to the side. They were beyond d repair, not that she'd ever need such sullied shoes again. His fingers massaged ankle and a pleased noise escaped Carissimi. Her tail moved on its own to wrap around his waist to keep her balanced as he moved to the next leg. The dress was pulled to the side for better access, the slit now moved to reveal a pair of black panties.
A hand in his hair pushed his head downwards, keeping him from seeing the way the damp material stuck to her skin. "You have one job, Demiurge." Carissimi chastised. "Eyes on the floor." Demiurge could only nod as he continued on with his task. The power she holds over him is absolute and he loves every bit of it. His hands are slow, reverent, in their ascent up her legs. A delighted shiver ran down his spine as he gently hooked his fingers beneath the top of the sock and slowly peeled away the blood soaked fabric. He can feel the muscles of her legs twitch as his gloves drag their way down her skin. He almost dares to look, so far gone his thoughts are as his mind focuses on how badly he wants those long legs wrapped around him.
He struggles with if he wants them around his hips or his head.
Carissimi is going through similar struggles as she watches Demiurge, the prideful demon, his knees before her. She knows he has a way with words and her only thoughts are on just how skilled is he with his mouth. Demiurge is much more submissive than she expected. She thought he'd fight her for dominance but he went down so easily and listened so well to her little commands. The idea to see how far she can push him rises to the top but is lost in a sudden wave of exhaustion.
They both feel it when she finally runs out of steam. Demiurge is quick to his feet, scooping up the Supreme Being as a tired moan escaped her lips. Carissimi doesn't put up a fight, relaxing in his hold as she presses her nose to his throat. "Pardon my forwardness, Lady Carissimi." Demiurge sighs and walks out the barn as though nothing happened. "But I do believe a bath is in order."
He knows it's been too long.
There's an uncomfortable itch to his magic, like rough burlap rubbing at his skin. His steps are no longer perfectly measured, a slight migraine throwing off his balance. He can tell that he's been poisoned. An impossibility on the norm, and by his own plants at that. It's minor so he's in no immediate danger but he's a poison master. It pricks his pride to be in such a state. But that is not the real reason for his hastened steps.
Sephiroth is not strong.
Not that he's weak, oh not by any means. He is fast. He is smart. He is lethal. But he is not strong. He is a support. An afterthought as well. He is weakness and suffering. He is the toxin and the antidote. But he is not the blade. He is not the true weapon.
He is not Karma.
His job is to support her. He poisons her prey so she can take them down faster. Heal her so she never slows the hunt. Provide her with anything she may need. When together, she is the stronger one. The independent one. The one who has it all.
The voice.
So while he is not weak, he is not strong. He could never be strong when around her. Not when he represents all that she isn't.
The silence.
And so he cannot let himself become weaker. Not when it's her strength that feeds him.
He can no longer move soundlessly. His heels make dull clicks as he stalks through the halls. He needs to get to his casket. He cannot allow himself to become weak. Cannot allow his hunger to rear its ugly head.
The doors are in sight. He's almost there. He has no tasks for the day so he can surely rest within his casket until called upon. Replenish his end of the connection. The idea of rest is so closely tied with the notion of perfection that his tail swished a little higher behind him. He must be perfect or he shall be weak.
His hands reach for the door handles when a maid stops him.
"Lord Sephiroth." The maid says with a polite bow. Sephiroth spares a gentle blink to prompt her. "You have been summoned to the Sixth Floor." Fluorescent eyes looked at the maid with a very slightly hooded expression. A dismissive blink is her answer as the incubus starts to turn the handles. Surely it's something that ca mm~m hhn wait. "Lord Sephiroth, my apologies but it's rather urgent. There is apparently something that only you can handle happening in the Amphitheater."
A pause.
There is only one thing that could possibly require his immediate attention. His test subjects. He is not a poison master in name only but in practice. His cerbera had grown quickly under his care and with the help of Mare's magic. He harvested his first batch of toxins a week prior and had started experimenting on his gifted sheep . Mixing poisons was a delicate art and all subjects required careful monitoring. If something were happening without him being able to take proper notes, then the test results would be incomplete. He didn't even have a chance to finish creating a proper antidote!
A sense of urgency filled him as he let go of the handle and rushed towards the Amphitheater.
Those precious few yet far between floors separating them gave Shalltear time to help Aura prepare for the arrival of her crush.
"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Aura asked, embarrassed as she tried to pull down the skirt she was wearing. Honestly such an outfit seemed better suited for Karma, the slightly poofy skirt of the school uniform feeling much too exposed as it grazed her knees. Her legs felt especially bare with the knee high white socks and mary janes. The red fabric of the uniform only drew more attention to her ever growing blush as she moved to fiddle with the long white sleeves of the attached shirt. "Of course it." Shaltear sniffed as she smacked the elf's hand to keep her from undoing her tie. "Demons value strength in a partner so it's important to display that. You have to look your absolute best as well." Slim fingers straighten golden locks as the vampire continues. "No member of the succubus race would ever take on a slovenly mate either. Sephiroth has OCD so he has especially impeccable standards. His tastes were created by Lady Carrisimi herself so it's only sensible to take cues from someone else created by her."
It made sense, in a way. Karma's fashion sense was modeled by Lady Carissimi so it had to be in line with Sephiroth's own tastes in appearance as well. But Aura was still nervous. There was still a lot of stuff that she didn't understand from that book on demonic courtship from the library. All she really understood was that strength was important. She wasn't weak but she was far from being the strongest Floor Guardian. That honor went to the woman standing before her...
"I don't know if I can do this…" Aura whispered as she curled in on herself, ears dropping with her gaze. Shalltear gazed fondly at the young elf before pushing her into the light. "Well it's too late to back out. We already called him out here so you might as well get ready." Aura looked ready to argue when Shalltear perked up. "Look, he's already here!"
Aura turned around and lo and behold there he was, rushing eagerly across the open arena. A small smile appeared briefly on Aura's face at the idea that Sephiroth had been excited to see her when she remembered what was done to the arena. "Wait!" She called out as Sephirroth crossed through the center and activated a trap. A fire elemental, much like the one she fought alongside her brother on their first day in this new world, erupted from the and attacked the incubus. The two female guardians watched in horror as a flaming fist came crashing downwards and smashed where Sephiroth was. A large cloud of dust and rubble was sent flying at the impact. "Sephiroth!" Aura screeched as she moved to check on him.
"Hold on, Aura." Shalltear stopped her with a hand around her wrist and pointed at the elemental. "Look."
Mismatched eyes looked back and widened as a Sephiroth ran up the elemental's arm and aimed a kick at its head. The kick was strong enough to knock the creature's face to the side as the area guardian twisted his body midair and summoned his rapiers. His left arm slashed outwards and beheaded the summon whilst his right plunged into its shoulder and served as a grip. His face was almost completely impassive, as though he were bored with a menial task. Only the slight scrunch of his nose gave away his confusion and irritation.
The beast roared as its head regrew and began thrashing about, its flames leaping off its body as it tried to buck or burn its opponent off. Sephiroth remained unfazed, merely twirling his free sword in a reverse grip as he let his fire immunity do its job. He was about to stab his blade through the monster's core when a pang went through his chest and he leapt away. He just barely stumbled as he danced out of the way of another flaming fist. Facing down two fire elementals, Sephiroth almost wished he'd ignored the maid and gone ahead to his casket.
"Wow…" Aura breathed as she watched her crush fight his opponents and Shalltear couldn't help but nod in agreement. There was a hierarchy within the Tomb: Supreme Beings, the Floor Guardians, Area Guardians, Sebas and the Pleiades and then the regular denizens of Nazarick. This a hierarchy built open strength with their beloved creators at the top, the gods whom which their lives revolve. It wasn't an obvious thing but there was still a divide between each layer of their hierarchy, the subtle beliefs that they were of higher being than those of lower rank. It was common belief that the abilities of a Floor Guardian far outstripped that of a mere Area Guardian…
But watching Sephiroth glide so effortlessly through the growing number of enemies destroyed that veil of false beliefs.
No one had ever seen Karma or Sephiroth fight, both having been kept locked safely away in Lady Carrisimi's room. One by one the elementals fell to his blades, their cores slashed and stabbed as Sephiroth continued his deadly defense. The sight before them was breathtaking but they were still here for a reason. "Aura, I do believe the point of this is for you to prove your worth to Sephiroth." Shlltear said even as her gaze remained locked on the incubus. Aura tore her gaze away to look at her friend in confusion. "I don't think he'll be inclined to give you a chance if he defeats all of your targets himself." Aura flushed with embarrassment at the reminder as to why they were witnessing Sephiroth's skills in the first place. "H-hai!" Aura yelled, cringing at the way she stuttered like her brother so often did. With a single leap, Aura launched herself from the viewing box. He whip was drawn and sent flying towards the single remaining elemental. "I got this Sephiroth!" She called out to the incubus as the whip wrapped around the summon's arm. The fiery appendage ripped apart easily before it reformed. Sephiroth's eyes widened as the beast reared back its fist to punch the still falling elf. There was no way she could avoid that hit so Aura lashed out her whip the same time Sephiroth threw his rapier at the elemental's core. In a move so unlike him, his heel slipped under and Sephiroth actually stumbled.
Neither are sure which was the strike to do it in but there was a sharp clang hidden amongst the sound of roaring winds as the alemental died in a fiery tornado. Aura landed gracefully and threw her arms out with pride. Sephiroth had to have at least seen her perfect landing. Her grin was wide and full of glee as she turned to face her crush. "Did you see that Seph...i...roth…'' The words were stuck in her throat as every eye in the arena locked on the silent demon.
Sephiroth was a being of few expressions.
A mere raise of the brow translated so many of his emotions. He gave tiny quirks of the lips to emphasize his feelings. His eyes told everything yet nothing when he blinked. He spoke an entire language with just his face.
And never had his words been louder than the wide eyed stare he had as he looked his own sword pierced through his chest.
There is a certain disconnect that comes with being an undead.
The life that he'd once found to be precious in all beings mattered not to him. Seeing the lifeless bodies of his travelling companies did nothing to him. There were no painful pangs in his chest that had no heart. No feelings of guilt to eat at him as he examined the blood splatters. No remorse as he commented on their weak skills. Not overwhelmingly so, at least. Not until he saw Ninya. Not until he saw the way she was tortured, he wounds seemingly drawn out for no other fact than she was female.
The horrid images of Sara's broken form, her broken form broadcasted for their world to see, overlapped with Ninya's. A cold fury unlike anything he'd ever felt threatened to consume him, straining against his emotional limiter. Suddenly, these were no longer the Swords of Darkness. No, these were his precious friends brought forth in new forms. In Lukrut he saw Peroroncino, the hopeless flirt and archer. Peter became Touch Me, their strong sense of leadership and justice making them honorable warriors. Dyne easily became Blue Planet, their kind and gentle demeanors and connection to nature an unforgettable trait in their world. Picking up Ninya, Momon gently laid her next to her companions.
These were his companions and someone dared to kill them.
A dark chuckle echoed hollowly from within his helm as he watched small blacks flames begin to crackle across their bodies, the skin and clothes quickly catching aflame as the fire. The flames burned higher and higher but didn't burn them. No, Momon watched with a dark satisfaction as the wounds stitched themselves shut. From Lukrut's pocket rolled a platinum coin, the gleaming metal blank under the dark flames. Wet, hacking coughs began to wrack the humans as the flames died down, blood dribbling down their lips as the lungs cleared with each desperate breath for life. The disguised lich stood slowly as he looked down at the humans who had somehow come under the protection of an overlord.
Taking note of the missing copper plates, Ainz made a promise to himself.
He would take everything, and leave nothing.